Alexandria isn’t just a coastal city. With its deep blue sea, rich layers of history, and blend of cultures, it’s no wonder filmmakers keep returning to it.
Egypt’s cinema has given us iconic works that don’t just take place in Alexandria—they reflect the spirit of the city itself. From wartime resistance to heartbreak on the Corniche, here’s how seven legendary works captured different sides of Alex.
1. Iskanderiya… Leh?
Directed by Youssef Chahine, this semi-autobiographical classic unfolds during World War II and shows Alexandria through overlapping stories of love, politics, and identity.
Whether it’s a Jewish girl falling for a rebellious student or four friends from different backgrounds forming a bond, the city is always present, vibrant, tense, and resilient.
The opening scene? A stunning, documentary-style love letter to the sea and to the city.
2. Ice Cream Fi Gleem
This 90s cult classic gives us peak nostalgic Alexandria—ice cream by the sea in December, Amr Diab singing about lost love, and youth stuck between ideologies.
Saif, a struggling musician, drifts through a confusing post-socialist world while chasing his dreams and mourning his breakup with Badriya.
Alexandria’s streets, squares, and faded Corniche cabins paint a picture of a generation trying to find its voice.
3. Raseef Nemra 5
Shot in Anfoushi and Bahri, this thriller brings out the city’s raw, forgotten corners.
With scenes in the old coastal housing complex that once served as a military post, Raseef Nemra 5 follows Sergeant Khamis, a Coast Guard officer who risks everything to fight corruption.
The story is full of grit and coastal tension, with Alexandria’s historic forts and ports playing a starring role.
4. Zizinia
One of Egypt’s most iconic Ramadan series, Zizinia, is set in the 1940s. Its name is based on a famous neighborhood in the city and follows Egyptians resisting the British occupation.
The show explores how political struggle impacted daily life, while also portraying the city’s layered and cosmopolitan identity, where Greeks, Italians, and Egyptians coexisted. It’s a portrait of a city at a turning point, fighting to hold onto its soul.
5. Miramar
Based on Naguib Mahfouz’s novel, Miramar captures post-revolution Alexandria through the guests of a seaside pension.
Zohra, a young woman escaping forced marriage, meets a mix of people—some clinging to power, others chasing change. It’s Alexandria caught in transition, a city reflecting the hopes and contradictions of an entire country.
6. Rasayel El Bahr
When Yahya is mocked for his stutter, he ditches his medical career and finds peace among Alexandria’s fishermen. Through him, we see a simpler, more grounded side of the city—one tied to the sea, to working-class struggles, and to the unexpected healing found on a boat.
7. Aho Da Elly Sar
Set within the walls of a lavish Alexandrian palace, Aho Da Elly Sar tells stories of love that are at once intertwined and generationally distinct.
The series spans from 1918 to 2019, weaving romantic narratives with Alexandria’s political and social transformations. With characters literally named Bahr (Sea) and Asdaf (Seashells), the city becomes more than a backdrop, it’s a living metaphor.
Through its multi-generational tale, the series reflects how Alexandria’s beauty, complexity, and heartbreak ripple through time, shaped by major historical events in both Egypt and the city itself.
Alexandria is in itself a storyteller. These films and series show how deeply the sea, politics, and history are woven into the everyday lives of the people who live there. From resistance to reinvention, from romance to revolution, Alexandria holds it all.
Watch these and you’re not just getting a good story, you’re getting a glimpse into the beating heart of one of Egypt’s most iconic cities.
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